Tis the season to Make Baby Plants!
The article right below this short ad explains the process.
Wanted! People who would like to grow and sell small plants
from home. I’ll show you, step by step how easy and how
profitable it is. Mine have earned thousands!
{!firstname_fix}, get the Basic Backyard Growing
System for only $88.00! But hurry, I may change my
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Rooting cuttings at home is super easy, especially at this time of
the year. All you need is an old fish tank, or an opaque plastic
tub from Walmart, and a little knowledge. Right now is the ideal
time to do softwood cuttings of all kinds of flowering shrubs and
evergreens, including Azaleas, Rhododendron, Lilac and Dogwood
shrubs. The list of what you can root at home is almost endless.
Complete instructions on how to build a Homemade Plant Propagation
System are on this page:
http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm
Building the system is as easy as pie and many people have
adapted my plans to simply using a plastic tote from Walmart
for the cover, and a plastic dish pan with holes drilled in
the bottom for the flat that you stick the cuttings in. Just
make sure you drill lots of holes in the bottom of the dish pan
if you go that route.
Detailed instructions on how to root softwood cuttings can be
found near the bottom of the above page.
Right now in zone 5 we are just getting started making our softwood
cuttings. If you are in a warmer zone than northern Ohio then
just dive right in. You can make cuttings the rest of the summer
and into early fall.
My book, “Easy Plant Propagation” is a fun, easy read
that makes a great gift for the gardener in your life.
Every copy that we sell is personally signed by me
before it goes out.
http://www.freeplants.com/easy-plant-propagation.htm
Have a great week, and as always, stay inspired!
-Mike McGroarty
Sorry, no video today. I tried but I ran out of time. Hey, I’ve been busy!
Right now I’m in San Diego trying to figure out how this Internet stuff really works. We’ll see how that works out.
In the mean time Pam told me they delivered my new tractor yesterday. That’s not even right! My wife got to see my new tractor before I did. I suggested that she not dig up the yard before I get home.
So I’m running out of excuses, now I need to get to work starting my new nursery. I haven’t had a chance to update my “Who is Mike McGroarty” page: http://www.freeplants.com/who%20is%20mike.htm but for those of you that don’t know I just bought a small farm and I’m going to start up my nursery all over again. Stay tuned, this should be quite a ride!
Anyway, right now is the time to get started making softwood cuttings. The how to build a homemade plant propagation system instructions are on this page: http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm.
At the bottom of that page you’ll find a link about rooting softwood cuttings. Right now is the time to do softwood cuttings. You can root hundreds or thousands of free plants right at home! Start now, you can make cuttings all summer right into early fall.
Later,
Mike
I would like to start some purple smoke plant cutting but have not been able to get them to root. I tried you method in the sand and when I opened up the white plastic bag to check on them they had all molded. Do you have a way to root this type of plant.
They are tricky. Best to use softwood, put them in the bag but open it often. Keep it in the shade. Not sure that this work.
thanks i will try.
I attempted to root 12 Japanese maple cuttings, 8 of them developed buds, out of the 8 only 4 grew leaves. Now all but one looks dead. I have tried cuttings before of other plants and this is always my result. I see new growth but then the plant dies. Never had a success yet. What am I supposed to do after I see new growth? Clearly I am missing something.
Joanna,
Japanese maples are extremely difficult to root. See this on other plants, https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
Mike,
How/where do I buy cutting to get started?
Robert,
Probably the easiest place to buy a variety of different things in small quantities is our members area. http://backyardgrowers.com/join
You can get just about anything you want from our members. I buy from them all the time.
Hi Mike! Love reading your stuff. Quick question: when is the proper season to plant a potted fig tree that is about 10″ tall? It was a mail order with no instructions. Thanks so much!
Kathy in S. Carolina
Kathy,
The proper season to plant anything is right now. The sooner the better, no matter when you get the plant. Plants are happiest in the ground. As long as the ground is not frozen it’s always a good time to plant.
Thanks! It’s still in the pot, but I’m sure it will be happy to stretch it’s toes soon!
-Kathy Wells, S.C.
i finally found u!! I’m a newbie 2 this internet thing….look forward 2 learning more!!! THANX! !!
You have an excellent video, but there is one thing missing.
How do I know when the plants have rooted? If I pull them out too soon, that destroys the process, right? Is there a way to know if the plant rooted and is ready to be put into the ground.
After rooted, is there any thing special that I need to do to plant them in the ground?
David
David, pulling out a cutting that hasn’t rooted or is just starting to root isn’t likely to do any damage. Don’t check them everyday, but after three or four weeks it’s time to be curious. When you tug on the cutting and feel resistance it has or is rooting. When you plant them in the ground shade helps for a few weeks if you transplant when hot and dry. Don’t plant them too deep, just one inch of soil over the roots.
i would like to try to grow black elderberry plants i live in anch ak is this possible?
Probably, just make sure the plants you want to grow are a match for the zone that you live in.
Zone map for the United States:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
Zone map for Canada:
http://nlwis-snite1.agr.gc.ca/plant00/index.phtml
Can I buy started plants from your site?
Renee, right now I really don’t have any plants for sale, but I did stick 350 cuttings today, those should be ready to sell next summer. Everything else is planted in the field and won’t be sold for another year or two.
My second question is I have hibiscus plants that I bring them in every year some 5-7yrs old. I read your article about cutting tree and bush roots. could I do this to them and replant in new soil. when should I do this. and would this kill a hibiscus
Holly, The problem is you are not letting the hibiscus do dormant. You can do some root pruning, but on an actively growing plant you have to be more careful. I’m sure it’s tropical and probably root bound, so you need to at least loosen up some of those roots in the root ball.
And move to larger pot?
Yes
I have been interested in plants all my life Im kinda like you Mike I too Love working in the soil and in my new yard. I just moved to my new house and its all clay I was crushed 🙁 I have lost so many plants that I brought from my beautiful yard. I was so used to making a hole throw it in and the plant was so happy. “not Here” So I could use all the help on this issue I can get . Also I am on your mailing list and missed the article about why some fire bushes turn red and some dont . Is there any way I can get and read that article. P.s. I used to work in and grow plants for my brother-in-lawsHe had 2 – 100ft green houses. So I think I will Love this book. Hope to hear from you soon,maybe we can be new email buddies, Love the stories and pictures of the family THANKS AGAIN . Your new BUDDIE 🙂 PEACE AND HEALTH BE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY 🙂
Holly,
You need to build raised beds with good soil.
{!firstname_fix} today I am going to explain why some Burning
Bush turn bright red in fall and why others don’t.
But first . . .
One wedding down, one to go! And a message for Pittsburgh
Steeler fans.
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2010/08/steeler-fans/
Kevin (our younger son) and Gracie are getting married this
Sunday, I promise to post photos next week. I promise!
***********************The Ad*******************************
{!firstname_fix}, our family of Backyard Growers
are having an absolute blast making, buying and selling
baby plants by the thousands!
Join our family of Backyard Growers today!
http://www.freeplants.com/wanted.htm
The Backyard Nursery Business.
http://www.freeplants.com/backyard.htm
One of our plant sales:
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************************************************************
Why Do Some Burning Bush Turn Bright Red
in the Fall and others Not?
Dwarf Burning Bush are interesting and unique plants. Very
versatile in the landscape and easy to care for. They love
full sun, but will also do well in a great deal of shade.
They are most noted for the brilliant red color of their
leaves in the fall. But they don’t all turn brilliant red.
Some plants might turn a pale pink at best and then their
leaves fall off. Or some lose their leaves before they even
get a chance to turn red.
So what’s up with that?
Two things. If your Burning Bush does not get at least six
hours of full sun a day there is a good chance that it will
not turn red for you in the fall. They need a lot of sun if
you want that deep red color. If you notice when driving
around this fall the ones with the deepest red color are
pretty much in full sun. Those up by the building usually
stay greener because they just don’t get enough sun on all
sides of the plant.
The reason that the leaves fall off really early could be, and
often is because the plant is infested with Spider Mites.
Spider Mites are tiny and almost invisible to the naked eye
but there can be thousands and thousands of them on one plant.
They feed by sucking on the underside of the leaves, sucking
all of the nutrients out of the plant. They usually don’t do
serious damage to Burning Bush, but they will completely
defoliate the plant by the end of the summer.
If you look closely at the leaves you can see that leaves
just don’t look healthy. Spider Mites like a hot and dry
environment so by blasting the plant with the garden hose
often during the growing season that will discourage them
as well as knocking some of them off the plants. Or you
can spray with insecticidal soap or a miticide if the
infestation is heavy.
Next week I am going to give you a video and I will show
you how to inspect for Spider Mites. I will also show you
how to prune a Burning Bush that is way too big for it’s
britches. So stay tuned.
Oh yeah, did I mention wedding pictures?
Make somebody you love happy! Give them a copy of my
plant propagation book!
http://www.freeplants.com/easy-plant-propagation.htm
Take care, enjoy the tail end of summer, and stay inspired!
-Mike McGroarty
P.S. Tell your friends about “Mike the Dumb Ole Dirt Farmer”
and http://www.freeplants.com/
Thanks, I appreciate it.
how is the rigfht way to plant azaleas. do you cot the root mass first
Ron,
If you have azaleas that are container grown and they are pretty well root bound, then yes, you should make at least 3 vertical cuts from the top of the root ball to the bottom. This will interupt the pattern of circular growing roots and encourage the plant to establish roots in it’s new home. Plant them in good topsoil and don’t fertilize with any high nitrogen fertilizer.
What is the e-mail course that you get right after ordering the Backyard Growing system?
Pat, the ecourse tells you how to join the Growers Message Board and it also gives you more information and tips for your nursery. If you’re not seeing your ecourse, look for it in your bulk mailbox. Sometimes it lands there instead of your inbox. If you’re not getting it at all, email me at [email protected] and include your name and zip code in the email so I can find your order.
Kathy Anderson
Mike’s Assistant
I live in Toronto, Canada and would like to buy your program. Do you have access to wholesale
providers here?
Mike,
I am a newsletter subscriber and faithful reader of everything I can find that you do. I finally took the plunge and tried my hand at propagating azaleas and Japanese variegated willows. So far still checking the azaleas but the willows are growing beautifully. Thank you for all the information and looking forward to the new nursery and hoping one day to join the family (I’m just broke now). Keep up the good work and look forward to anything from you as it is always excellent. Anybody need willows cause now I have plenty LOL. Good luck to you and much success.
Chris in Youngstown
Mike, I’ve made my cuttings and divisions and opened up a huge new bed! I am so excited to be expanding except the day after I finished planting it I went out to see everything lying on the ground. Flat. Leaves just totally wilted. VOLES! The voles had found my new bed faster than I had planted it! What can I do about these awful critters! I have scoured the shelves at the local nurseries and home centers and only found repellents for moles, woodchucks and deer. Nothing for voles. In the past, I have planted in cages we made out of 1/4″ wire mesh, and also in tin cans. Both seem to help a little although the voles eventually get in. I need to rehabilitate these poor ailing babies and also protect them from further harm. Any suggestions? Are you plagued by them, too? I imagine they could bankrupt a farmer or nurseryman!
Do you have a video of your intermitten system? I tried to find it on your web page, but did not have any luck. I have your book and am really enjoying it and also my husband made the aquarium propagation system and we like it, also.
Dianne, I do have a detailed video on intermittent mist. It’s part of my backyard nursery series. But also in the Backyard Growing System I teach you a very simple method of plant propagation where you can root thousands of cuttings at one time. Even difficult to root plants can be done using this technique. Those products are here: http://www.freeplants.com/system.htm. Thanks for asking.
I order your system about three weeks ago and have not received it or heard when it will arrive
Please contact Kathy at [email protected] and she will help you. You should of had it within a few days. I’m sorry you had a problem, Kathy will get it straightened out for you.
Hi Mike, I just wanted you to know I ran across you last year, internet surfing and have gained much knowledge. For years I have shared my plant divisions and last year for the first time I sold a few after I saw your site. Only a couple hundred worth, but that covered my expenses for the season. When I learned of soft wood cuttings I got excited. I am anxious to try that now.
Question: I haven’t seen any info about rose propagation under canning jars, or is that no lucrative?
Jeri, there’s an article to that effect on http://www.freeplants.com/frame%20set.htm. I need to do a video on miniature roses which will sell like hot cakes. In the Backyard Growers Group we have been tracking down good wholesale sources.
mtke, i want to propagate some blue berrie plants from my bushes..how and when do i do this? thanks..jennifer
Jennifer, I’d do them now in the Home
Made Plant Propagation System. Even a plastic tote with a lid from Walmart will work. Drill lots of holes in the bottom and several holes around top just below the lid and put it in the shade.
mike, i was reading your suggestions on red raspberries..i have 4 nice plants of them that are 2 years old..i did not know to cut them back after the berries on the stem were gone. should i cut them to the ground on the stem that is thru bearing the berries and leave the new stems that are growing? how would i make more red raspberry plants from these 4? also i have 4 plants of tame blackberries that are 2 years old…producing a lot of berries this year..when and how do i get more plants from them? do i prune these also? i am in tenn. very hot and not much shade.. thanks..jennifer
Jennifer, after the raspberries are done producing fruit completely remove the canes that produced fruit, leaving the new canes that have yet to produce fruit. New canes will grow and will produce fruit in the second year. Propagation is done by layering http://www.freeplants.com/layering.htm, or in the spring you can remove suckers that have grown and just plant them out on their own. Some varieties are also done with root cuttings. Just remove a piece of root and plant it about 1/2″ deep in a bed or flat of potting soil.
Do you have a video (I love them) on how to transplant the rooting cuttings from the aquarium box bed into pots? I’m sure the video would also include mentioning of your potting bench as well. Thanks for your valuable advise and shared knowledge.
James, I don’t have such a video. Well I do, but it’s part of the Growing Small Plants and Watching People Go Crazy Over Them while Pushing Money at You is the Most Fun You Can have with Your Bibs On package. But I should do one, not sure how soon I can get that done. But in short, just gentlely remove the cuttings without breaking roots and plant them in a bed. Nothing special needed, just good soil, some shade for a week or so, and only bury the roots about 1″ deep and keep watered.
I bought the aquarium and have it all set up, I have planted some cuttings from 2 potted citrus trees and assorted other plants, my question is that they all look great, but I am unsure as to how will I know when they can be taken out of the aquarium and put into pots. Will we be able to see roots, or can we pull one up without ruining it ? We bought a greenhouse this past Dec. so we are new to growing from propagation. Thanks for any help.
Diane, you can pull on the cuttings to see if they are rooted. If they are not rooted they’ll slip right out of the growing medium. But if you get any resistance at all that probably means that they are rooting and should be left alone for at least 4 weeks. After that time any rooted cuttings should be planted in your garden. Any unrooted cuttings can be left in the Home
Made Plant Propagation System
Mike,
I am planning my rooting bed now. I have ordered your plant propogation system and am ready to go. I have the land so thought i would use a larger “cold frame” type bed instead of the homemade system. I am in South Georgia, it is HOT here. Do I need to make sure that I put the bed in the shade even if i plan to use the intermitten mist system?
I’m trying unsuccessfully to propagate white ceremonial sage.
I used hormones, light soil, etc…but they die.
Mike, I’m not really familiar with the plant, but I recommend trying them in the Home
Made Plant Propagation System. Try them now. I hope you see success, this system actually works pretty well.
Mike,
I’m experimenting with propagating roses and passion flowers from cuttings. Roses are fairly easy, Passion flowers are not. I’m happy to say after a month my Passion flowers (some of them) have taken root!
I used seed starter + vermeculite along with some root hormone. I placed them in extra large ziplock bags. Only problem I’ve had is some fungus growing on some of them. Oh and one of my rose clippings had aphids after a few days – yikes! guess it’s important to clean them first.
Now I need to learn how to harden them off to keep them going.
thanks for the great blog
~Chris
Chris,
Have you ever tried something similar to the Home
Made Plant Propagation System? You can remove the cover daily for a short time to let air in and keep fungus down. You can also spray your cuttings with a fungicide to keep fungus at bay. Aphids are fairly harmless most of the time. As soon as the wood hardens a bit they move on.
I THOUGHT VERMICULITE WAS NO LONGER BEING USED BECAUSE OF THE ASBESTOS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT.
Patti,
I don’t honestly know what the scoop is on vermiculite but you most certainly can use perlite. I can’t answer your other questions in this public but I will write something for those receiving the Ecourse that comes with http://freeplants.com/wanted.htm
Mike,
Back in 1989 a boy of 11 years old decided to see if vegetables watered with vitamins
would do anything to make vegetables grow better.
You can find his article at the Mother Earth News magazine web site. Just do a search
Vitamins for Vegetables.
Mike.
Have you ever heard about treating seeds and plants with magnets?
In most plants south pole of the magnet stimulates growth. and the north
pole retards growth. you can do a experiment with seed. There will be a big
difference in the roots of of the treated seed.
A horse shoe magnet will not work. You need one that has the north on one end and south on the other. A flat magnet 5 to 6 inches long, and 4 inches wide works well.
Leave the seed in the magnetic feild for at least two days. Then plant.
Charles,
I’ve not heard of this, but I’m not suprised. Magnets and electrical flow great influence changes in the human body so why not plants?
mike, i am confused on how to start soft wood cuttings..i want to start with crape myrtles..i have made the bottom, bought the fish tank, painted it like instructed. what do i put in this? soil or sand? do i put a tote over the fish tank and place in the shade for 7-10 days? after the sand when the crape myrtle is rooted do i transplant them into soil the same way? how long do i leave them in sand or soil? thanks mike for helping all of us in tenn as well as ohio.
Jennifer,
If you have a fish tank all painted and ready to go you don’t need a tote. You can use sand or a light and fluffy soil mix. Something that has a lot of perlite so it drains and doesn’t stay soggy. Just put it in a shady area. It will take longer than 7-10 days for them to root. Probably several weeks. Once rooted you can transplant right into your garden until they get larger. Once planted in your garden do not transplant them again until they are dormant for the winter.
thanks so much mike, another question, on all my flowering plant should i wait till after they loose their blooms to start taking cuttings? good luck on your new farm, enjoy that new tractor, jennifer
Jennifer,
It’s important that you get the cuttings while the wood is soft. Just ignore or remove the flowers. They will bloom and root at the same time.
Mike,
I live in Louisiana. It suppose to get up to 100 in the shade.
What should I do with the rooting box? Move it inside, or move it into the shade.
I have a free source for Sago Palm seed. How can I force them to grow off fast?
Also have you ever searched Mother Earth News ? I did a search , Vitamins for vegetables.
The expirement was done back in 1989. It was very interesting.
Charles,
Just move the propagation box into the shade. Not sure about the sago palms.
I have a question on your baby plants video…what soil are you using? Seed starting or potting soil? Thanks.
Either soil will work, but the perlite in it the better so it’s light and fluffy. Just don’t use something with fertilizer. You dont want anything growing during the rooting stage except the roots.
Mike,
I’m a teacher and I’m trying to figure out if your system will work with my “punctuated” schedule. My weeks are taken up with classes and grading papers. But my weekends are free during August to May. I have June and July to devote full time to nursery work. Can I build a nursery working just weekends? (I garden so I am thinking about the daily tasks like watering, etc.) What is the busiest time of year for an owner of a nursery? Would the busy times fits with a teacher’s slow times? I’m in southern South Carolina (on the line for Zone 7b/8a)
Vicki,
Your schedule should be perfect. You just fit the business around what you want to do, and do things as easy as possible so you don’t have to be out there every day. I started my nursery while working a full time job, running a very busy landscaping business, and watching my two kids play baseball at least 4 nights a week. The busiest time? That really depends on how you want to run your nursery. There are a lot of options that I can’t get into here. If you get the system, and you should, get on the Backyard Growers Message Board. It’s all down hill from there. On that board your questions are usually answered in an hour or two and I spend a lot of time on that board myself. But the other members are incredibly helpful. And you can buy plants from the other members and sell on that board if you have plants to sell.
One thing that’s not clear…..what is the purpose of the cover….does it need to provide air- tightness? ….will productive sun light pass through a walmart bag? I have had some results using a ziplock bag, but unsure of the air-tight idea so i zip and unzip and needless to say my success has been ‘ify’ and small scale. I know what you mean about loving to grow things and one day to be able to handle plants with the confidence you do! Wow
Connie,
The only reason the cover is air tight is to hold in moisture. But it’s also a good idea to open the cover for a few minutes each day to let some air flow. If you have the time and remember to do so. But it does work if you don’t open the cover. You don’t need a lot of sunlight for the rooting process. More shade is better. The plants are less stressed and will root better.